Page 61 of Anchor

“Sit the fuck down, both of you,” I said, pointing a finger at the metal bench across from us. The two agents walking by kept their eyes on the floor and hurried past as if to say,we don’t want any trouble.

The twins exchanged another look. If they planned to run again, I was going to kick their ass, at least until they stopped me.

But they sighed at the same time—so strange to be watching them do an identical movement with their identical faces—and then with their heads down, they went and sat on the bench just like I said.

A moment later, I had enough air in my lungs to speak with properly.

“You lied.”

Jam looked up at me. “We saved your life, didn’t we?”

“Andthisis the thanks we get?” said Jim.

“We saved your lifetwice!” Jam raised two fingers at me.

“Yes, yes—we found your friend the Bluefire and sent her to find you. That counts, too.” Jim.

“Oh, yeah? What about when Michael and Erid made it very clear to you that they were going tokill mein that forest—does that count? How you stood there and did nothing? Hmm, Jim, does that count, too?!”

Their cheeks turned a bright scarlet, and I wasglad.They deserved it.

“Good. Youshouldbe ashamed of yourselves. Blushuntil your cheeks fall off because you were fucking cowards.” And I’dsay it again as many times as I needed to because I was done being nice. I was just done.

They looked up at me with their lips parted and their brows raised.

“You’ve changed,” Jim said.

“Yep. Not the same Rosabel we knew.” Jam.

“Was it the Iris Roe? Did they replace you or something?”

“Is it true that you were Mud, and now you’re not?”

“Is it true?—”

“Boys.” They clamped their mouth shut. “Don’t try to change the subject. You stood by and let Michael and Erid try to kill me, and then youliedto everybody about that catfairie.”

They both scratched the back of their heads and looked at one another. “Lie? What lie?” said one.

“I don’t remember a lie. We didn’t lie,” said the other.

“No, no, we didn’t. We know this—we didn’t.”

“I don’t know, I don’t remember any?—”

“For fuck’s sake, I will hit you in the face.” And I would. Goddess help me, I would. The boys grabbed their staffs tighter between their hands. “Don’t you dare turn to your magic because you won’t win. I drained that fucking Rainbow, if you need the reminder.” They didn’t need to know how much it hurt to let my magic out now or that I hardly used it.

The boys didn’t make a single sound.

“Why?” I asked when they lowered their heads again. “Why did you say that I killed that catfairie, boys?”

“But you did,” said Jam.

“You did kill the catfairies. Plenty of them.” Jim.

I shook my head. “I’m talking about the big one and you know it. The one who was going to end me after it killed Erid and Michael—thatone. I didn’t kill him. I passed out, couldn’t even keep my eyes open. Then I wake up and I find him dead right infront of me with his heart on the ground, andyoutold everyone that I did it—why? Tell me, right now—why?”

The boys looked at me without even blinking. They were no longer flushed but pale as the white wall behind them.

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